I Do, But I Don't
by Karevsanatomy
Summary: To the world Mark and Izzie seem like the perfect couple, and Izzie would agree…except for one small problem. Will they get through it or will they find what was missing in their lives with other people? Izzie/Alex, Mark/Lexie, Mark/Izzie
1. Chapter 1

Title: I Do, But I Don't.  
Author: Karevsanatomy  
Rating: R (Mature subject matter and sexual content)  
Pairings: Mark/Izzie, Alex/Izzie, Mark/Lexie with mention of Arizona/Callie, Meredith/Derek, and Alex/Lexie  
Premise: Since the eleventh grade Izzie has been in a comfortable relationship with Mark. To the world they seem perfect, and Izzie would agree…except for one small problem. The problem becomes a big one when a drunken decision forces them to re-evaluate their 'perfect' relationship. Will they get through it or will they find what was missing in their lives with other people?  
Warning: Character Death  
Author's Note: This is not my usual story. I do hope the pairings in the start of this story don't detour you from giving it a chance. If after reading the _whole_ first chapter you decide it isn't for you, I will understand.

Chapter One

A flicker built up in her stomach as she slid her finger tips down the golden skin that covered the tight, muscles of his back. She arched her body pressed her hips closer to his, forcing his thick cock further into her body. Her lips rounded in a moan as the flicker built toward something hotter. Hooking her legs around his hips, she concentrated on throwing gasoline onto the fire in her groin, willing her body to hurry up and explode before…

Izzie Stevens' eyes flew open as Mark let out a satisfied groan. Everything in her screamed _not yet,_ followed by _unfair_ when she realized, fair or not, he was done. Yet again he had reached out, found the burning release, grabbed hold, and left her aching for more. She wanted to ball up her fists, pound on the beauty that was his naked chest, and scream out her frustrations like her best friend Meredith's three year old daughter did when things didn't go her way. She settled for pursing her lips and twisting her face into a dark scowl.

"What?" Mark's brow wrinkled as he stared down at her, his silvery blue eyes clouding with confusion. She quirked one brow up, crossing her arms over her naked chest. "Seriously?"

"Would it kill you to let me finish first," she complained, shifting out from under the weight of his body. Reaching down, she gathered the melon colored sheets around her sweaty body. Maybe it would kill him. Maybe there was some physical ailment Mark was inflicted with that had him coming before she had reached her peak. And maybe she was just making excuses. Either way she was going to have to take a long, hot shower, and do a little recon before her body exploded from the need to finish.

She was tempted to call Meredith, to ask her friend how she kept things lively in the bedroom after four years of marriage, but decided against it. Meredith had no qualms about sharing the details of her amazing sex life with her dreamy husband Derek. Which was why telling the other woman there was a lack of sexual fireworks exploding between Mark and she would be humiliating. No, she would settle for silently bemoaning her boyfriend's selfishness and getting personal with the bathroom fixtures.

Complaining to her other best friend Cristina was out of the question as well. Cristina made no secret of the fact that she didn't like Mark and finding out he wasn't giving Izzie the Big O would just make her hate him more. Not to mention Cristina seemed to think finding a hot stranger in a bar was the answer to any relationship problem. Izzie wasn't opposed to one night stands, so long as they were being engaged in by other people. Mark had been her first, and by golly he would be her last.

"Would it kill you to let me finish first," Mark mocked, a cocky grin on his face as he slid a hand across the bed, his fingers inching along her inner thigh. Her breath caught in her throat. Perhaps she had been hasty in thinking she would have to get creative with the shower head. "You know what they say," he said hotly in her ear, "if at first you don't succeed, you try, try again."

"Mm. I think I like that saying," she giggled, dropping the hold she had on the sheets. Leaning across his lean body she reached for the extra condom they had placed on the night stand before falling into bed for an afternoon quickie. Her fingertips had barely brushed the foil package when the doorbell pealed. They both froze. "Ignore it."

"Can't." Mark groaned, bolting off the side of the bed. Her jaw slacked open as he scrambled into his navy blue boxers and faded jeans. "Told Alex he could meet me over here before we go shoot hoops."

Alex. The mere mention of the name had her lip curling up in distaste. In the five years she had been with Mark, three of them had been spent enduring the on again, off again presence of his college roommate Alex Karev. There was something about the guy that left her feeling…unsettled. There was no particular reason for it, she just hated how he looked at her with his hazel eyes; like she was invisible. She could count on one hand the times he had spoken to her, and tally up the total number of words using both hands. Usually when Mark said he had plans with Alex she made herself scarce. It was easier than dealing with the awkward silence that always ensued when they were in the same room.

"You're early," she heard Mark complaining. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Alex stepping into the apartment. The cramped space was rather simple in its layout and the front door was lined up perfectly with the bedroom door. If the other man was to look over Mark's shoulder…Her face started to burn as he did just that. His hazel eyes widened before averting in the opposite direction.

"Mark," she hissed, "I am going to kill you!" Quickly, she gathered the sheets back around her body, fighting back angry tears. It seemed that Mark forgetting her needs was a trait that he was carrying out of the bedroom as well. She gathered the sheet around her body, slid off the bed and stomped over to slam the door shut.

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Naked. Izzie had been laid out on a bed, her long, golden blond hair tousled around her shoulders, naked. If God had wanted to punish Alex Karev for having a thing for his best friend's girl, seeing her naked was the perfect way to do it. For the last three years he had carefully kept contact with her to a minimum and when he had been forced to be in her proximity he had made sure she wouldn't stick around. "I can't believe you opened the door with your girlfriend naked in the next room."

Mark shrugged, closing the front door as the bedroom door slammed shut. He gave it an odd look before turning back to Alex. "We were finished."

It was on the tip of Alex's tongue to say if he had a girlfriend like Izzie there would be no finishing; he would keep her naked and bucking beneath him. _She isn't your girlfriend though,_ he reminded himself, _and the only way she's going to wrap those legs around you is in your dreams._ And boy did he dream about her. He had lost count of how many times he had mentally stripped her to nothing, heard her sultry voice whispering his name and begging him to just take her. The fantasies would probably be more intense now that he had actually seen her in all her naked glory.

"Besides, it isn't like I have anything to worry about." Mark clapped him on the shoulder, breaking through the dirty images that were already forming. "If you can't trust your friends, who can you trust?"

"Right." Alex agreed weakly, dropping his gym bag on the round, glass topped coffee table.

"And it isn't like you haven't seen a naked woman before," Mark went on as he settled into the corner of the cream colored sofa, knocking a pale pink throw pillow to the floor.

"Right," Alex repeated. His gaze couldn't help going back to the closed bedroom door. Though the blonde wooden barrier kept him from actually seeing her flawless, tanned flesh, his mind still burned with the memory. Her breasts had been full and round, with perfect looking pink nipples that begged for a man's mouth to tease them. Her stomach had been flat, her belly-button pierced with a sparkling blue star that seemed to point south, where she had been shaved as bald as a peach. He was willing to bet she tasted as sweet as a peach too. His cock tightened, all the blood in his body rushed south, and he muttered a silent curse. Jesus. He had to stop thinking about her. Mark wasn't stupid. He would see the hard on and put two and two together.

"You okay there, Karev? You're looking a bit tense. Relax, will you. So you seen Izzie naked." Mark chuckled, slouching further down on the couch. "Bet you liked it."

"What?" Shock whitened Alex's face as he quickly lowered his body onto the opposite side of the couch. He tugged on his light gray muscle shirt, hoping his hard on didn't show.

"If you did, its no big deal. She's hot. Has a body made for fucking. I'd be surprised if you didn't like it. Unless of course you're batting for the other team now." Through hooded eyes Mark watched him. It was a good ole bait and torture. They had done it to each other for years. Usually it wasn't a big deal, but there was nothing usual about lusting about the others girlfriend. Alex was fairly sure if the roles were reverse and Mark had seen his girlfriend naked he wouldn't be so calm about it. In fact, he was positive he would be pissed that it even happened, no matter how accidental it had been.

"I'm not batting for the other team," he muttered, forcing his face to remain relaxed. "And honestly, your girlfriend isn't that hot. I've seen better tits on a cow."

"Must have been some cow, cause Iz has a pretty great rack. One of the best I've seen."

And Mark had seen plenty, Alex thought sourly. It was a sore subject between the two of them, Mark thinking it was alright to screw other girls before he settled down and married his perfect, blonde bombshell of a girlfriend. Life was fucked up, letting Mark have his cake and eat it too while Alex was forced to play nice with the little sister of one of Izzie's friends. Lexie Grey was a nice enough girl, but that was all he would say for her. She smiled too much, giggled too much, and the sex was…mediocre.

"Lexie's got a nice rack too," Mark went on. "Bet their nice and firm."

"Uh, yeah." Talking about their girlfriends breasts and comparing the two wasn't a conversation Alex wanted to have. If he didn't he ran the risk of his Izzie-lust becoming common knowledge. "They're better than nice. Man, they fit right in the palm of your hand. Perfect size. Better than those fake ass melons your girl is sporting."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the bedroom door opened. The high pink color of Izzie's cheeks said she had heard at least part of the conversation. A simple white linen tank top and a short, frayed denim skirt covered most of her perfection, but in his mind she was still naked on that bed. "I'm going to take my not so fake ass melons to Meredith's," she said coldly as she walked passed them out the front door.

Alex looked over at Mark, his face ashen. "She'll get over it," Mark laughed. "So, Lexie's got perfect breasts huh?"

"Yeah," Alex sighed, staring after Izzie. She probably thought he was crude prick. _It was better that way,_ he thought. The more she hated him, the further she would stay away.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for all the positive feedback! I admit I was worried that some of you would be turned off by the start, but Lisa and Ari assured me that it was quite clear where the story was going. I am so glad I listened to you. Hope you enjoy this second chapter just as much!

Chapter Two

The Shepherd's lived in what Izzie fondly called a starter house. Built in the fifties it was a one story rectangle with shutter flanked windows and flower boxes. The shutters were a bit crooked and the only flowers in the boxes had died ages ago, but it still had a homey quality about it that Izzie loved. Or maybe it was what it represented: a picture perfect family. She had broached the subject of marriage and children with Mark once only to have him laugh. It hadn't been meant as a joke but she had laughed along with him, hoping he wouldn't see the hurt in her eyes or tease her about trying to mould him into something he wasn't.

His comment hadn't made a whole lot of sense at the time, and she didn't really stop to dwell on it. Until now. Now she kept going back to that conversation and how hilarious he had found the idea of marriage and children. Something she had seen as serious had been a joke to him. Much the way his buddy seeing her naked had been a joke. She couldn't blame Alex for his crude comments, loath him more yes, but blame him? Not really. They weren't friends, he didn't owe her anything. Mark was another story. Since the ninth grade Mark had been telling her he wanted to be with her. In the twelfth grade, when Meredith came up pregnant and Derek married her during her spring break, he had said he wanted forever. And like any star struck girl she forgot about her knocked up best friend and said good-bye virginity, hello sex.

_And what a let down that was,_ she thought sourly as she jabbed her finger against the glowing rectangle that was the doorbell. For years she had been listening to her friends talk about the amazing sex they had. And for years she had gushed about what a stallion Mark was. No more. He had left her hanging one too many times. He wanted to talk about her naked body with his buddy, fine. She could talk about his speed racer impersonation with her's!

"Someone looks pissy," Meredith greeted, pushing chunks of wavy dark blonde hair out of her pale face. The woman leaning in the doorway was a far cry from the bubbly cheerleader Izzie had befriended in the eighth grade. In Miss School Spirit's place was a washed out looking housewife with a toddler wrapped around her legs and another baby on the way. "And for once it isn't me."

"I've never had an orgasm," she blurted out, stomping past Meredith when the other woman stepped aside. Weaving through the trail of toys that littered the hallway, Izzie didn't stop until she reached the small living room, where three year old Emily sat bashing two blocks together. "Geesh, Mere."

"I know, right? So annoying. You try making her stop. I can't take anymore screaming and kicking." Flopping onto a coach that was covered with unfolded laundry, Meredith groaned, both hands settling on her still flat stomach. "Its all I can do not to spend the day on my knees worshiping the porcelain gods. And what do you mean you've never had the Big Oh."

"Okay, so never is a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously, do you know how long it's been?" Carefully kneeling on the dark brown carpet, Izzie held her hand out to Emily. The little girl eyed her for a moment and then challenged her by slamming the blocks together harder. "Emmy, you can do this the nice way or we can do it the hard way."

"No. My blocks!"

Izzie let out a sigh and looked over at Meredith, who shrugged. She never understood why Meredith let a three year old rule the roost. What was she going to do when the new baby arrived? It was on the tip of her tongue to ask that but she decided against it. She wanted Meredith on her side, not smarting because Izzie had questioned her parenting abilities. "Fine. Bang your blocks together. Just know this, little girls who aren't quiet and don't let their mommy's talk don't get to go out for ice cream."

"You are evil," Meredith chuckled, her face relaxing as Emily dropped the blocks and went in search of something else to do. "And evil genius. Seriously, I think when this baby is born I'm going to hand them over so you can groom them into the perfect child."

"Whatever." Laughing, Izzie rocked back on her heels and then stood. With a grimace she brushed cookie crumbs and who knew what else off her knees. Housekeeping was not Meredith's strong point but she had learned a long time ago it was pointless to argue. If it wasn't for Derek picking up and vacuuming when he got off work Izzie had no doubt the house would be an even worse mess. She settled on the opposite end of the couch, grabbed a towel, and started folding. "So, yeah, really not feeling the Big Oh lately."

"By lately you mean…" Meredith prompted. Her pixie like face wrinkled but she followed Izzie's cue and picked up a pink t shirt.

"You want a time line?" Izzie shook her head. "I don't have one. That's how long it has been. I can't even remember what it feels like to have one. Unless you count getting friendly with myself in the bathtub."

"Ah, the bathtub. Gotta love those self-pleasuring soaks." She laughed as the towel Izzie had just folded hit her in the face. "Okay. Okay. Okay. So sex is getting boring. Just spice it up. I'm sure Mark would be down with some sexy little costumes, maybe some handcuffs and a whip."

"You're a freak, you know that? And I've tried those things. He's still going for the gold and leaving me with bronze. Its unfair Meredith. Unfair and cruel." And she sounded like the pouting toddler she had bribed with the promise of ice cream. She couldn't help it. Some how her perfect relationship had been reduced to quickies and her boyfriend cracking jokes with his crude asshole of a friend about whether or not she had better breasts than a cow and even so were they real. Seriously? That was what men talked about when their friends seen their girlfriends naked? If the shoe was on the other foot and one of her friends had gotten a full blown look at Mark she would have flipped out. The whole point of monogamy was keeping it to themselves. "I don't know what's happened. Everything use to be so perfect and now, well now it just sucks."

"Iz, you're twenty-one years old and you've been with one guy. One. That isn't normal." Meredith haphazardly placed her small pile of shirts in a stack on the floor and started in on rolling socks.

"Says the girl who married her high school sweetheart," Izzie taunted.

Meredith shrugged. "Yeah. I did. So? I was with other people before Derek. I had a comparison. What do you have?"

"You were with other people before Derek?" It shouldn't have come as a surprise but it did. Meredith rattled off a few names, her face calm. "What about Derek?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask for a list. If I had to guess I would say around six. Maybe seven. I'm not sure. I don't really care. He chose me in the end." Meredith tossed a small wad of purple socks in her direction. "It's not like he was a total slut like Mark."

Meredith was wrong. Mark had been with one girl before her. One. The only way he could have slept with as many girls as Meredith was suggesting was if he had cheated and he wouldn't do that to her. Would he? She wanted to be able to say no but something stopped her. "He's cheated on me, hasn't he?" The hesitant look on Meredith's face said it all. A lump formed in her throat and she blinked back the sting of tears. "When?"

"Iz," her friend said softly, reaching out to touch a small, cool hand to her arm. "Don't do this. Don't let his stupidity upset you. Come on, you had to of known he wasn't going to settle for one girl. He's Mark. He's fun, he's great to hang out with, but I'm thinking he isn't really ready to be with one girl. And I think you're so hung up on being able to say you've only been with one guy that you refuse to admit you're settling too. You need to get out there. See other people. Sleep with other people."

"Don't hold back," Izzie muttered, her body trembling as she digested what her friend had to say. Coming from some one else she would have blown a gasket. This was Meredith though, and most of the time Meredith knew what she was talking about. "So you think I need to whore around so I can know that Mark is the right one?"

"No. You're twisting my words, chica. What I'm saying is Mark is the only guy you've been with. Period. Not just sexually, but emotionally as well. You dated George for five seconds before settling into couple-dom with Mark. Maybe Mark's the right guy for you, maybe he isn't. How can you really know that though if you don't get out there and date. Meet other guys. And if none of them do it for you, if none of them even come close…well then you know. Mark's it. But you have to at least try Iz. You owe yourself that. And," a teasing grin stretched across Meredith's lips, "if nothing else maybe you'll get an orgasm to top all orgasms."

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Sweat dripped into Mark's eyes as he elbowed Alex out of the way and aimed for the netted hoop some twelve feet above him. A curse tripped off his tongue as it circled and then fell…to the side. It was the fifth shot he had missed and damn it he didn't like missing. Not in basketball and not in making his girl scream. He blamed the missed plays on Izzie and her need to writer and moan every time they fucked. What could he blame for not being able to get Izzie off? Nothing. He couldn't come up with a damn thing to blame that on.

"You're losing your touch, Sloan," Alex laughed, swooping in to grab the ball and dunk it before Mark could even blink.

"I'm not losing my touch," he muttered, swiping at the sweat that was beading across his brow. He wasn't losing his touch on the court and he wasn't losing his touch in the bedroom. There wasn't much he could do to salvage his game on the court this go around but a quick call to that sexy little redhead he had met last night would boost his ego in the bedroom. A smidgeon of guilt crept in, as it did any time he contemplated cheating or cheated, but he quickly pushed it aside and stalked over to the bench where he had left a bottle of water.

"Whatever you say. Loser!" Behind him he could the net swoosh again and the thud of the ball slamming into the floor followed by closely approaching footsteps. "What's up with you today man? You usually cream my ass."

"Maybe I felt sorry for you and let you win," Mark growled after taking a long swig of luke warm water. Alex didn't respond, which was just as well. They both knew Mark was lying about letting the other man win. Mark Sloan never played second fiddle by choice. Which was why Izzie complaining about their sex life was throwing him off. He wasn't an idiot, he knew things weren't as good as they once were, but that didn't mean…He hurled the bottle of water against a nearby cinderblock wall. He was so sick of pretending to be the perfect God damn boyfriend. He loved Izzie about as much as he was capable of loving a woman but there were days he wanted to tell her to go fuck herself, or better yet get the hell out of his life.

"Dude, you need to chill." Alex calmly walked over to where the empty bottle lay and picked it up. Mark ignored whatever else was being said and yanked his ringing cell phone from his gym bag. Izzie. Perfect. She was probably calling to bitch him out for what he had let Alex say. He figured he had it coming since he didn't have a good reason for why he had been such a dick or why he had let Alex be such a dick.

"Hey babe," he greeted, walking away from where Alex stood. Smoothing over ruffled feathers would require some fast talking and didn't want the other man hearing him crooning out sweet words. "What!" His yell echoed in the gym and caught the attention of some teenagers walking through the doors. "What the hell, Iz. Is this about what Alex said because seriously, babe, we were just kidding around."

Blood starting roaring in his ears as she calmly told him it wasn't about Alex, it was about him screwing around and her letting him. "I can't settle, Mark," she insisted. "I just can't. You've been playing the field while I was playing house and I'm sick of it. I want some field time. I think I need field time almost as badly as you need to be on your own."

"So…just like that we're through?" It stung more than he realized, having her say she was leaving. This was what he had wanted right? To be on his own with out the pressure Izzie added?

"I didn't say we were through, just that we need to take a break. I need to know if I'm settling for you or if I really want to be with you and I can't do that if I don't see other guys."

Panic started to fill his body. "We're talking about dating right? Just dating?" The idea of another guy touching her made his stomach churn. Izzie was his. She had always been his. She was his future, the girl who was going to be the perfect wife when he was ready to settle down.

"I'm not sure," she admitted quietly. "I haven't really thought it through that much. I think I'm going to just see what happens."

Which translated to she was going to fuck other guys. Damn it. "This is bull shit!" When the line went dead he started to throw his phone the way he had the water bottle but stopped himself. She wanted to see other people to be sure he was the right guy. Fine. She could do that. But fucking other guys? Hell no. He could tolerate her having dinner with, maybe even kissing, another guy but letting some unknown ass stick his dick in her? Hell no.

"You okay?"

It was the second time that Alex asked if things were alright and this time Mark didn't hold back. He let it spew out. All of it. And boy did it feel good. When he was done he felt a bit lighter, calmer, and he had a plan. He didn't know why he didn't think of it earlier. A grin formed on his mouth as he thought about the one time he had caught Izzie masturbating in the bath tub. It had kind of rankled that she had been muttering Alex instead of Mark but now it worked to his advantage. "You're an ass."

"Huh?" Alex quirked both brows up.

"You're an ass and while Izzie might want to hate you she doesn't." It was so perfect. Brilliant even. "In fact, I'm positive she might even like you."

"You're delusional. You're girl…Izzie hates me. And if she didn't hate me before I'm pretty sure that crack about her tits did the trick."

Mark shook his head. There was a chance Alex was right but that didn't matter. He just needed to show Izzie that playing the field was hard, full of sleazy assholes out for one thing. "Doesn't matter. You just have to come on to her, talk dirty. She'll come running back." She would. She had to. She was his future.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thanks again for all the encouragement guys! It means a lot! This chapter is for Lisa. You begged and I hope I delivered! ****Chapter Three****The Emerald City wasn't Alex's usual Friday night hang out but because of some stupid agreement he had made with Mark almost two weeks ago he found himself sitting on a shiny, black leather stool nursing a sissy looking drink, something the bartender had called an Amaretto Sour. Thirteen dollars for a drink that tasted like a sweet tart and was gone within two sips. What he wouldn't give to be chilling at Joe's, drinking beer, and throwing darts. Mark owed him, and he owed him big time. Not just for the wasted Friday night or shitty drink but for placing him in the awkward position of hitting on a girl he couldn't have but wanted. It was sick and twisted. **_**Almost as sick and twisted as you jacking off while thinking about fucking your friend's girlfriend,**_** he thought sourly as he drummed his fingers impatiently against the glossy green marble bar, waiting for Izzie to walk through the door. Mark had heard from Derek, who had overheard Meredith and Cristina, that Izzie was finally ready to get out there and Cristina would be taking her to hit the meat market around ten. It was close to ten thirty and he hadn't seen either woman. They had another ten minutes or he…a familiar laugh cut into his train of thought and had him craning his neck toward the end of the bar. He seen Cristina's mop of black curls first, and then, as though the red sea had parted, he seen **_**her**_**. Mark hadn't been kidding when he said Izzie was on a quest to change herself. She had started with her hair; cutting the long, bouncing curls into above the shoulder waves that were strategically tousled in a way that had him remembering her laid out on that bed, her tanned skin bare to his hungry eyes. Her style of dress had changed too. While she had always dressed sexy it had been in a causal way, one that said look but don't touch. Not so anymore. The almost non-existent black dress left little to the imagination and screamed 'I want to be fucked.' Hell. Double hell. This was going to be harder than he initially thought. Harder than Mark thought. She was dead serious about **_**experiencing**_** life. "I need something stronger," he rasped out to the bartender, a stacked girl with sleek auburn hair and large, blue eyes that might have interested him under different circumstances. "Tequila shots?" She asked holding up a bottle of Petron and a shot glass. He nodded, a bit pissed that she hadn't made the suggestion earlier when he asked her to surprise him with a drink. "I think I'll just leave the bottle," she murmured with a wink. He couldn't resist winking back, or making note of the fact that her name tag said Addison. "Especially if you're trying to reel in the barracuda at the end of the bar." She nodded in Cristina's direction. Alex bit back a shudder and slammed the shot she had poured before correcting her assumption. "Goldilocks huh? You know she has a bear of a boyfriend right?" "Ex. She has an ex-boyfriend. They broke up. She's free game." Free game. The idea swam around in his mind, teasing him with possibilities; most of which revolved around Izzie naked and moaning his name. It was a fucked up thing he had involved himself in. Did he go for it with the girl of his dreams? Or did he honor the code and do Mark the favor he had come to do? up a stranger in a bar was going to be harder than Izzie had thought. For two weeks she let herself grieve over Mark. Two weeks of crying into a tub of ice cream while she watched tear jerker movies and wallowed in self pity. Two weeks of preparing herself for life as a single woman. Two weeks…it just wasn't enough time. She realized that now as she stood next to Cristina, who was perusing the club in search of the perfect one night stand. Sighing, she followed Cristina's suit and looked around. Her dark gaze settled on a broad shouldered guy wearing a light blue t shirt and faded jeans that hugged his well, shaped ass. She didn't have to see the front of him to know he knew what he was doing. Her gaze lingered on him a bit longer, her body igniting with a fearful excitement. Maybe she could do it. Maybe she could pick a stranger up in a bar and take him home. Especially if the guy looked as good from the front as he did from the back. One tanned arm reached out toward the bar and well formed fingers raised a shot glass of what looked like tequila. As the small glass slammed back onto the bar he turned his face in her direction. Her heart skidded to a stop as familiar hazel eyes bore into. Fuck. Wasn't it just her luck that she would pick some one she knew? Not just some one she knew but Mark's friend. A friend she couldn't stand but had thought about a few times while…Her face turned red as she thought about the things she had imagined Alex doing to her. The blush burned hotter when she realized she didn't want to just imagine him doing it, she wanted to **_**feel**_** too. "Did you find some one?" Cristina demanded, elbowing her in the side. She didn't bother answering the question because she was screwed either way. If she said yes Cristina would expect her to blatantly flirt with the guy under her watchful eye; and if she said no Cristina would probably scope out a man and push him off on her. "Stop doing that. It makes you look ugly." Cristina snapped, crossing her arms over her partially exposed chest. Like the dress she had loaned Izzie, Cristina wore a black scrap of material that barely covered her body. Invitational wear was what she called it, and Izzie was pretty sure some of Cristina's club clothes came from adult entertainment stores. "And you didn't answer my question." Izzie's gaze skittered back to Alex. The way she looked at it, he kind of owed her. For all the times he had ignored her, for saying her tits were fake, and for making her fantasize about him when he was the last person on earth she would ever, ever get naked with. "Yes. I found some one. Happy?" Fishing out a cigarette and lighter from who knew where, Cristina lit up and blew smoke in Izzie's direction. "Go get em Tiger." "Right. Going to get 'em." Izzie pasted a fake smile on her face and hurried in Alex's direction. She had no clue what she was doing. Whether she was using him to keep Cristina off her back or if she would surprise herself and ask him to take her home. Either way she knew she had to do it. She had to be near him. Heart pounding, she slid onto the stool next to his and gently nudged his side with her knee. "Pretend we're together." "Hello to you to," Alex chuckled, twisting on his stool, another shot grasped in his hand. "Just pretend you like me okay? For five seconds pretend you think I'm smoking hot and you want to take me home to do nasty things, before I'm forced to do something really horrific." Reaching out she plucked his drink from his hold and downed it, shuddering as the fiery drink hit her empty stomach. She knew Cristina was watching, so she set the glass down and laid her hand on his thigh. "Please?"Without pause he asked the bartender for another glass. The sexed up red head chuckled and handed it over, but not before murmuring something about goldilocks bear. "Bears don't scare me," he muttered back, filling first his shot glass and then the one Izzie had taken from him. He slammed it down faster than Izzie had ever seen anyone slam tequila. She shouldn't have been surprised, after all he was a frat boy. The glass hit the bar with a heavy thump and he twisted his stool so that one of his legs was wedged between her's. Her eyes widened as he lay on hand on her thigh. "I don't have to pretend that you're so smoking hot I want to take you home and do nasty things to you. I spend ninety percent of my time imagining what it would be like to fuck you." Izzie opened her mouth, whatever words she wanted to say dying on the tip of her tongue. Was she supposed to respond to that? And if so, how was she supposed to respond? Squirming on her stool, she mulled over those questions, very aware of the warmth forming between her legs. His words had been borderline crude, which should have turned her off, only they didn't. Mark, for all his bad ass ways, had never once said he wanted to fuck her. Make love, have sex, get naked, but never fuck. It was hot. It made her hot. She had no doubt Alex knew exactly how to fuck a woman. Licking her lips, she downed the shot her had poured her moments before and inhaled a good dose of bravery. As the small, clear glass left her lips she found herself scooting closer to his large body. "Want to know a secret," she whispered, her breasts pressing against his forearm. "I think about you too." She wasn't bold enough to say when she thought about him, or what she was doing when she was thinking about him, but she was pretty confident he could figure it out on his own. "Really?" His voice was as smooth as milk chocolate and almost as dangerously sweet. Izzie nodded, fixated on the shape of his mouth. It was perfect. Full, but not too full. And it looked educated. Really educated. The things he could do with that mouth…just thinking about it had her ready to moan. "Care to tell me what is you're thinking about when you're thinking about me?" It was an invitation to a game, one where they were both winners. Everything logical in her screamed to walk away, to go find Cristina and tell her she had changed her mind. Something else, something she didn't know existed until it whispered in her ear, told her to throw caution to the wind and go for it. **_**He**_** was the one. If anyone could make her forget about Mark, or on the flip side regret breaking up with Mark, it was Alex. "Why don't I just show you," she purred back, amazed by her new found boldness. "Why don't I just show you." The words echoed in Alex's head as he stared at the one woman he had thought was elusive to him. She had starred in all his dreams, dreams he never imagined would come true. Yet one of them was. Izzie was sitting there, her body leaning toward his, telling him that she had fantasized about him and wanted to make those fantasies a reality. He almost wanted to ask if Mark had put her up to it. He knew better though. Mark had no clue how he felt about Izzie, and if he did Alex doubted the other man would put her up to propositioning him. "Unless, of course, you're not up to it," she taunted, her dark eyes twinkling with mischief. He had half a mind to grab her hand and press it to hard, swollen dick; show her just how up to it he was. "Oh, I'm up to it," Alex assured her, his groin tightening even more as inched her fingers closer to the bulge in his pants. She was playing with fire, did she know that? He doubted it. From what he knew about her she had had one lover, and that had been Mark. Three years of having sex with one person. Much as he hated to think he, he wasn't so sure she was as ready to be with some one else. "Thing is, I'm not so sure we should ruin the fantasy." He was going to hate himself in the morning. Throwing away his chance at his dream girl. "Really?" Surprise and confusion rung clear in her voice. Averting his gaze he assured her that he really meant it. "You're full of shit." "Excuse me?" "Yeah. You heard me. You. Are. Full. Of. Shit." A smug, smirk toyed across her full, red lips. He had no problem imagining what they would look like around his cock, which made him groan. "You want me so bad it hurts. Only you're a coward." The moment the word coward left her lips she slid off the stool and stormed toward the club's exit. A fucking coward. She had called him a fucking coward. Who did she think she was? A coward. Ha. He'd show her coward. Tossing a hundred dollar bill on the bar he told Addison to keep the change and charged after Izzie. "Where the hell do you get off calling me a coward?" He reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around so she faced him. Her dark eyes had widened, but not with fright like he expected. Hell no they shown with excitement. "I'm trying to be a decent guy here. Decent. Not cowardly." "I don't want decent. I thought I had decent for six years. Do you know what it got me? A rude awakening to the fact that there are no decent guys. Just selfish pricks who use people. Keep them around because their convenient while their out having a blast." Her voice broke with each word, confirming what he had suspected. She wasn't ready to move on. And he cared enough to not let her make the mistake of pushing herself into something she would regret. If there was one thing he didn't want to be in Izzie Stevens life it was a regret. "I'm sure it wasn't like that," Alex lied. It was amazing how use to lying for Mark he was. It had become second nature. "You know what. You're right. Mark was a prick. He was a lying, cheating son of a bitch who sure as hell didn't deserve you. The thing is, Izzie, not all guys are like that. Some, not many, but some are decent. They know what they have when they get a girl like you. He's out there, Iz. The right guy for you. You don't want to miss him because you're screwing around with assholes like me. And you sure as hell don't want to lug around a bunch of regrets for the rest of your life." "You're not an asshole," she murmured, reaching up to wipe at the couple of tears that had slipped past her lashes and run down her cheek. "I mean, I use to think you were, but an asshole wouldn't have said what you just said. An asshole would have just taken me home, fucked me, and left without worrying about whether or not I would have regrets." "What makes you think-" The taunt he had been about to make ceased on his lips as she placed two, long, slender fingers to his mouth. "The thing is, I would rather regret something I've done than something I didn't do. So, at the risk of being shot down twice, why don't I just show you all the things I use to imagine us doing." The finger tips slowly trailed downward, lingering on his chin, while her lips tentatively touched his. A bolt of electricity shot through his body, igniting every sense within him. His hands shook as he rested them on her lower back, his fingers splaying across her ass. There was something erotic about the soft, butterfly like kisses she was teasing his mouth with. Each caress of her lips sent more blood rushing southward. "We should go," he choked, hating himself for saying anything that would break the spell that was winding around them. She nodded, but didn't move. "Do you need to tell…" "Cristina will figure it out," Izzie smiled, pressing one last kiss to his mouth before holding out her hand. "I hope you brought a car because, yeah, totally don't have mine. I think Cristina's plan was to either have me willingly find a guy to hook up with or leave me stranded when she found one for herself." "Ah. The old leave them to find their own way home routine. Had it happen a few times with…" They both shifted uncomfortably as he stopped himself from saying Mark. She didn't need to know the details of Mark's betrayals. Forget that it would put a damper on whatever was starting between them, it would cause her more pain, and he couldn't stomach the idea of being the one to deliver that sort of blow. As they neared his Jeep Wrangler he reached into his pocket for the keys. It felt like a million years before he was able to unlock the doors and help her into the passenger seat. Her fingers curled around his bicep, halting him from going around to the drivers side. "There's nobody around," she murmured, reaching down with her free hand to work off the painful looking heels she had worn with her questionable excuse of a dress. "And I've never had sex anywhere but a bed." That was surprising. No. Scratch that. It was downright shocking. Mark had a reputation for 'hitting it' wherever and whenever he could. The more Alex thought about it though, the less shocked he was. Izzie hadn't been a drunken booty call, she had been the high school sweetheart. It was depressing to think about, no matter what the circumstances were. "Scoot over a bit." When she was practically straddling the gear shift between the driver's seat and the passenger seat he climbed in, slamming the door shut behind him. He slid his hand up her calf, paused at the bend of her knee and drew her leg over his lap. The little black dress rode up around her waist as she straddled him, her upper body wedged against his in a way that made him glad they weren't driving across town to his house or up the street to her apartment. Using his foot, he bumped the lever that would recline the seat back, giving them more room to maneuver. "You're sure you want to do this?" She laughed, nodding, several strands of her wavy hair sticking to her cheek. "Here?" "Yes, here," she murmured, rocking her hips against his groin. Her breath was hot on his neck as she leaned down to whisper in his ear, "I want you to fuck me." She sucked in her breath as he reached between their bodies to unfasten his jeans. Since he didn't wear underwear or boxers his cock sprung free once the zipper was down. He toyed with the idea of pushing her panties aside and just ramming into her, fucking her like she asked, but one look into her trusting brown eyes and he couldn't. She only thought she wanted a quick fuck. No, what she really wanted was to know she meant something, that she was worth something. Even if it lasted just for the night he was going to prove that to her. It wasn't too hard to gain access to her womanhood. The thin lace panties she wore tore when they were trying to figure out a way to get them off without having to open the car door. He tried to apologize only to have her silence him with a kiss. He took it as a hint that she didn't give a shit about her underwear, she just wanted him. Reaching down he guided the head of his cock to the damp slit. The thick head parted her folds, stretching her as he eased in. She was tight, tighter than any other girl he had been with, and feeling her silken folds pulling him in without the barrier of latex was enough to make him moan and cum on the spot. Instead, he focused on lowering her body all the way onto his shaft, not stopping until he was buried deep enough to feel her cervix butting against the head of his cock. Teasing his tongue against her's, he placed his hands on her hips and guided her up a bit, only to lower her back down. When he was sure she had the motion down on her own, he slid his hands up her front side, needing to feel the weight of her breasts in the palms of his hands. She was, he decided, built for this. She was built to be loved by a man who appreciated her. Who didn't take her for granted. "God, I love you," he groaned, not really thinking about what he was saying as he watched her face through hooded eyes. She was close to coming, he could feel it. The little whimpers she was making, the way she panted his name. He was close himself. built low in her stomach, a small bubble that grew bigger and bigger until it burst. She dug her nails into his shoulders, her mouth forming a silent oh as she started to moan, her hips rocking faster in a need to feel more. Alex seemed to understand her urgency and upped the pace of his thrusts, slamming into her hard enough to cause a jolt of pain that was delicious. God she needed more. More of the delicious pain. More of the bursting bubbles. More of him. "Alex," she whimpered, pressing her face into his neck as fireworks exploded behind her closed eyelids. Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest as her body relaxed against his. She felt herself go a little limp as he wrapped his arms around her, one of his hands reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She let her heart rate return to a pace that felt close to normal before pulling back enough to look at his face. He met her gaze head on, pulling her head down for another kiss, one she eagerly accepted. It had been a long time since she had…since fireworks had…it had been a longtime and she had him to thank for the satisfaction that coursed through her veins. "Wow," she laughed, threading his fingers into her hair once more. "Yeah. Definitely wow. Could have done better if we'd been in a bed though." "Oh yeah? You can top that?" Izzie raised one brow, hoping he would take the bait and invite her home. He did. He took it hook, line, and sinker. She almost moaned again in anticipation. If what they had just done wasn't his best she couldn't wait to see what he could do when he was on his game. One thing she knew for sure, he wasn't at all the person she had thought him to be. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four****The first thing Mark noticed when he met Izzie at Deb's Corner Cafe for lunch was she had cut her hair. It barely brushed her shoulders in a riot of waves with a small rhinestone clip holding her bangs back. He wasn't quite sure he liked it. Nor was he sure he liked the new clothes she was wearing. The sheer white t-shirt over a navy blue tank top with a tie-dyed blue scarf looped around her neck and faded, ripped jeans were not her style. Most likely one of her friends had pestered her into changing her appearance. That know it all bitch Cristina was probably the culprit; she was probably to blame for Izzie's sudden need to be single too. Mark couldn't see Derek's wife having the gumption to order someone into changing their clothing let alone their life. "You're early," Izzie said, her voice full of surprise as he slid into the booth opposite the one she sat in. It had been hard not to sit next to her, with his arm thrown around her shoulders, and one menu spread out in front of them. "You said you wanted to talk about something important," Mark reminded, threading his fingers together and laying them on the table in front of him. He felt a bit like a naughty school boy going before the principal. It made no sense that he would feel guilty about hooking up with the hot red-headed bartender he had met at The Emerald City, but he did. For years he had cheated on Izzie without even a trace of remorse, and now that he could screw as many women as he wanted without it being labeled cheating he felt guilty. Go figure. Of course the women he had slept with over the years had just been sex, while whatever he had had last night with Addie had been…he shook it off. Addie was a one night stand. Izzie was the girl he wanted a future with. "Yeah." Her head cocked to one side, and she drew her full lower lip into her mouth, chewing on the soft pink flesh as she seemed to mull over what she wanted to say. "I've missed you," she said at last.A silent cheer sounded in his mind. Alex had done his job. Even Addie had confirmed that Alex had been a total prick, talking dirty and making lewd suggestions. Izzie had stormed off and Alex had gone on to find some slutty blonde to screw in his Jeep. The last hadn't been supplied by Addie, Mark had parked a few spaces over and seen the fogged up windows himself. He had had half a mind to knock on the window and scare the hell out of them, but had refrained when he seen Addie walking out to her car. For months he had been flirting with her, and for whatever reason she had been willing to go beyond flirting last night. "I've missed you too," Mark admitted, reaching across the table to thread his fingers through her's. "I love you, Iz. And I know I've messed up, but I'm willing to change. I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to make us work." He surprised even himself by how much he meant the words. At first he had been a bit stunned that she had broken up with him, and then slightly glad. After a week though he was tired of doing whatever and whoever he wanted. After a week he was calling Alex and reminding him of their conversation in the gym. It had taken a lot of arm twisting to convince his friend to do the deed but Alex had eventually agreed to hit on Izzie in a way that would send her running back to Mark. It hadn't been a guaranteed plan but it had been all Mark could come up with, and damned if it didn't work. "Mark, don't," she slowly drew her hands out of his, folding them on her lap. Her head ducked down and she whispered something that sounded like she had met some one. "You met someone?" Mark yelled, scowling when other diners looked in their direction. "What the hell do you mean you met some one? When?" "Last night," Izzie answered, her cheeks staining the same shade of red as the vinyl coverings of their seats. A sickening chill coated Mark's body. She had slept with him, whoever this guy was that she met, she had slept with him. Six fucking years together and she picked up some asshole at a bar and slept with him. "I want to see where things go. See if there's something there. And I thought it might be better if you heard it from me rather than someone else." "It was just sex, Iz. He used you for sex," he snapped. He expected her to burst into tears, asking him if he really thought that. She didn't. She just stared at him with a look he couldn't read on her face. "Maybe that's what you want now. To be some prick's booty call." "Well, it's something I have practice at," she said coolly, her lips pursing into a wrinkled up oval of white. Her chest seemed to heave beneath the ends of her linen scarf. "And it isn't like that. He's not like that." "How do you know?" Mark demanded, trying to keep his anger under control. He was going to have to have a serious talk with Alex, because apparently his friend hadn't done a good enough job turning Izzie off the idea of meeting people at bars. The whole damn thing could have been avoided if Alex had just done a better job. But no. His friend had half assed it and then hunted up some slut to screw. "I just do," was all she said, her jaw tightening. "And, really, Mark it isn't your business. My life is my life to live. You don't have a say in what I do or who I do it with. Not anymore." "It is my business when I still love you!" Mark insisted, smacking his palm against the tabletop. "Damn it, Izzie. I don't want you seeing this guy. I don't want you seeing where things go with him. I want to just forget this break up ever happened and get back to what we had. I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do! You want a ring? I'll go buy a ring. Hell we'll even set a date." "Stop it!" She shook her head, hurt shining in her eyes. "Just stop. Six years, Mark. Six years waiting for you to do just that and now you're doing it because you're scared some other guy is going to steal your girl." "So you admit your still my girl," he grinned. It was a small triumph. One that was short lived when she shot him a disgusted look. "What?" "I'm not your anything. We broke up. The sooner you accept that, the better, because I am going to date this other guy. I am going to see where it goes. And you're just going to have to accept it." The authority in her voice was hot. She had never been this assertive when they were together. Maybe if she had been he wouldn't have been brave enough to cheat. "Maybe I don't want to accept it," Mark taunted, hoping to get another rise out of her. She didn't take the bait. In fact she looked like she was getting bored with the conversation. "Maybe I want you to give me the same chance you're giving this other guy." "You want to date?" Mark nodded. If it was all she was willing to give he would accept it. "I want the chance to win you back." She looked hesitant, as though she wasn't sure she wanted to give him that opportunity. "Come on, Iz. You can't say you don't still love me. I know you do." "You're right," she admitted reluctantly. "I do, but that doesn't change how things were. You cheated on me Mark! And the worse part is I don't think you feel bad about it. Did you ever stop to think that maybe one of those women might have something? Something you could have given to me!" "Who says this other guy doesn't have something," he muttered. She was right. He knew she was right. No way in hell he was going to admit it though. He had lowered himself three times already, and he wasn't going to do it again. "We're not going there, Mark. I'm not talking to you about him. When there is something to talk about, we'll talk. And if you want to ask me out, ask me out." Mark narrowed his eyes. He couldn't figure out if she was being serious or if she was setting him up. He decided he didn't have anything to lose and went for it. "Iz, would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" "No," she shook her head. "I already have plans. However, I am free tomorrow afternoon for lunch." A smile played across her lips as she slid out of the booth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of stuff to do today." Reluctantly Mark watched her walk out of the diner. When she was out of sight he pulled out his cell phone and sent Alex a text. His friend owed him for letting this happen. And he knew the perfect way for Alex to pay him back: find out who Izzie was dating. ****************************************************************************************************************Izzie fought back the groan building in her throat as she exited Deb's Corner Café. What had she been thinking, telling Mark he could ask her out and then saying yes when he did? She had let her ego get the better of her. She had let the thrill of having two exceptionally hot guys interested in her cloud her judgment. **_**Well,**_** she thought , **_**it won't happen again.**_** She would go on her two dates and then she would tell him they couldn't see each other anymore. **_**Which him though?**_** Much as she wanted to she couldn't shut her feelings for Mark off. It would be easier if she could. And God knew she wanted to, because as much as she still loved him she knew she couldn't trust him. No matter what he did or said it would always be in the back of her mind that he had been capable of cheating on her, of not giving her all of himself. And if there was one thing Izzie wanted it was a guy she could trust who would give as much as he was given. Mark was not that guy. **_**So why did you agree to go out with him?**_** She was a coward, that was why. She, Isobel Katherine Stevens, was the world's biggest coward. Letting out a sigh, Izzie opened the door to staircase that led to the apartments above Deb's. As she made the steep climb she stewed over the mess she had gotten herself into. She had meant everything she said to Mark. She wanted to see where things went with Alex. Last night had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. A smile stretched across her lips as she dug her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her door. Alex had, without a question, rocked her world. A girl didn't walk away from a guy who not only gave her multiple orgasms but accidentally made declarations of love. She hadn't been brave enough to ask him why he had said it; she wasn't sure she was ready for the answer, whatever it might be. There would come a day though when she would ask, especially if he said it again."I'm the world's biggest coward," she said as she stepped into her small living room. Alex looked up from the baseball game he had been watching on her small plasma screen television. When Mark had text her that morning asking if they could meet for lunch Alex had insisted on coming home with her. Just in case things get ugly, he had said. Things hadn't gotten ugly but she was still glad he had invited himself home with her. "I told I met some one. That I was going to see where things with this some one. And do you know what he did? He half assed asked me to marry him. Can you believe that? Ugh. And if that wasn't bad enough, some how I managed to make things worse by agreeing to go out with him Sunday. How, I ask you, did my life come to this? Pity dates with my ex because I am scared he'll find out I'm dating his best friend." Alex cocked one eyebrow up, an amused look on his face. The breath she hadn't known she was holding whooshed out. She had expected him to be a little upset. Instead he looked like he was enjoying her predicament. "You're not mad?" "That you're making me spend Sunday afternoon alone? Hell yeah I'm mad. Who wants to spend **_**Sunday**_** afternoon alone." Izzie crinkled up her face, grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at him. "I don't see why you're complaining. You get me all day today, tonight, and tomorrow morning. Tomorrow night to if you ask nicely." She laughed when his arms snaked out, hooked her around the waist and tugged her down on to the sofa. It was hard to believe the guy nibbling on her ear was the same asshole who had made the wisecrack about a cow having better tits. She giggled, wiggling away from him. "So, do you still think cows have better tits?" "You heard all of that conversation?" He groaned when she nodded. It was funny now, but it had been humiliating then. "What was I suppose to say? Mark, I've thought about fucking your girlfriend ever since you introduced us? No thanks. I value my life." "You didn't seem to value it last night," Izzie chuckled. "You're not his girlfriend anymore," Alex reminded her, slipping his hand beneath her shirts, his fingers softly strumming across her stomach. He lowered his head, his lips capturing her's. Sighing, she closed her eyes and kissed him back. Nothing had ever felt so right. Everything with Mark had been spurned on by hormones and the pressure to be like her friends. With Alex it just felt right. There was no pressure, and while her hormones were in overdrive they weren't the sole reason she wanted to be with him. Something had happened last night. She had felt a connection, one unlike anything she had ever felt before. "Shit," Alex muttered, pulling back as his phone went off. He reached into his back pocket and pulled the iPhone out. A grimace marred his handsome face as he checked the message. Without saying a word he handed it to her. **_**Mark: You owe me asshole. Find out who this dip shit is that she hooked up with.**_**"You owe him? What do you owe him?" Izzie crossed her arms and stared at Alex, waiting for an explanation. He was quiet for what felt like forever, and the mumbled something about Mark asking him to hit on her. "He asked you to hit on me?" "Yeah. See, he thought if I was a total pig you would go running back to him." Anger boiled up deep inside. She wasn't sure who she was angry with. Mark for asking Alex to hit on her. Alex for agreeing to do it. Or herself for falling for it. "Iz, stop. Stop thinking what you're thinking. Last night wasn't about Mark." "Then what was it about?" Izzie demanded. "Sex? If so, then why ask me out? Why pretend you're interested in me?" "I'm not pretending! I am interested in you. More than interested in. You're all I've ever thought about for the past three years. Why do you think I've been such a dick head? Because I didn't want to be the pathetic loser who was in love with his best friends girl, that's why." She wanted to believe him. She really did. Tears burned her eyes. Guys were all the same. They lied. They cheated. They twisted the world to fit their needs. Who cared about how the girl felt? Who cared if all the girl wanted was honesty? Apparently not the guy next to her. "Please leave," she whispered, looking at the floor. He said her name, but she shook her head and repeated her request for him to leave. A moment later her body jumped as the door slammed shut. **


End file.
